07/10/2025

TUESDAY | OCT 7, 2025

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Homeowners urged to prioritise structural safety

Man loses son in fiery road collision

KEPALA BATAS: An elderly man was left in shock after learning that a widely spread video of a fiery car crash in Jalan Permatang Baru, Sungai Lokan over the weekend involved his son. The 7.30am collision claimed two lives after the vehicle lost control, slammed into a pile of earth and burst into flames. Ahmad Lin @ Mustafa, 74, said he only discovered that his son Mohd Fitri, 35, was among the victims when friends came to his home in Kampung Teluk Amboi, Kuala Muda in Kedah at 5pm on Saturday. “I did not expect it to be Mohd Fitri. He never told the family that he was going to Perak with friends. I only learned about the crash and the burnt car when his friends came over before rushing to the Kepala Batas Hospital,” he told reporters at the hospital’s forensic unit on Sunday. Ahmad said despite the tragedy, the family has accepted the loss of their eighth child out of 10 siblings as God’s will. “This loss is especially painful as I also lost a seven-year-old daughter in the 1970s when a mosquito net caught fire,” he said. The family is awaiting DNA test results from the victim’s sister to confirm Mohd Fitri’s identity, a process expected to take three weeks to a month due to the severely burnt and skeletal state of the remains. The identity of the second victim has yet to be confirmed. The deceased’s younger brother Mohd Arif, 31, described Mohd Fitri as hardworking, neat and well liked, adding that his brother could not drive. “He was simple, responsible and hated mess. The last time I saw him was the day before the crash as we lived together,” he said. – Bernama Worker jailed for trespassing, peeping KUALA NERUS: A worker was sentenced to six months’ jail by the Magistrate’s Court here on Sunday after pleading guilty to trespassing in an inn and peeping on a woman entrepreneur in a bathroom. Magistrate Noor Mazrinie Mahmood handed down the sentence after Ahmad Farhan Rizal Abdullah, 29, pleaded guilty to both charges. Ahmad Farhan was accused of peeping at a 36-year-old woman with the intent to outrage her modesty at an inn in Manir, near Kuala Nerus at 12.30am on Aug 26. He was also charged with criminal trespass for unlawfully entering premises used as a residence on the same date, time and location. Kuala Terengganu police chief Azli Mohd Noor said the victim and her husband, from Ampang, Selangor, had rented the inn for four days starting Aug 25 for a holiday and to film a commercial featuring Malay traditional attire. – Bernama

o Professional supervision may seem costly, but cutting corners could later be tragic and expensive: Civil engineering lecturer

Ű BY KIRTINEE RAMESH newsdesk@thesundaily.com

PETALING JAYA: The recent death of a toddler in Seremban who was crushed by a fallen gate pillar has prompted civil engineering experts to warn homeowners that structural safety is not optional but vital. They said even small construction errors or unchecked modifications could have fatal consequences. The incident, which occurred on Friday, claimed the life of a two-year-old girl who was playing outside her home when a concrete pillar collapsed on her. Police have since urged homeowners to ensure all structures within their properties are safely built and regularly maintained. Universiti Teknologi Mara Shah Alam Faculty of Civil Engineering dean Prof Dr Che Khairil Izam Che Ibrahim said the tragedy highlights a worrying trend of homeowners bypassing professional oversight during small-scale construction or renovation works. “A common mistake is failing to seek advice from a competent person, especially civil or structural engineers.” “Many homeowners proceed without proper design drawings, site supervision or quality control. In some cases, unqualified contractors use improper construction techniques that compromise the safety of the structure.” He said such collapses often stem from basic technical errors that could easily have been prevented with professional input. “In many cases, the reinforcement embedded into the concrete floor is too short or there is no proper structural base at all. If the steel bars are too small or too few to bear the gate’s weight, or if they do not meet the specifications in the Code of Practice, the structure would eventually fail under stress,” he explained. Che Khairil added that Malaysia has sufficient safety standards in place, but enforcement at the household level

Che Khairil said structural collapses often stem from basic technical errors that could easily have been prevented with professional input. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ/THESUN

remains weak. “The government cannot change every homeowner’s attitude overnight, but it is time for local authorities to require that all renovation works, no matter how small, be carried out by licensed contractors registered with the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB),” he said, stressing that a thorough assessment needs to be done by an agency appointed by the government. University senior lecturer Dr Warid Wazien Ahmad Zailani said homeowners should learn to recognise early warning signs of structural instability before it turns disastrous. “Visible cracks that keep growing, widening gaps or any noticeable leaning of the pillar are serious warning signs,” he said. “Even minor floor settlement could indicate that the base is weakening. Once you notice these symptoms, stop using the gate

and consult a professional immediately.” He added that small structural flaws are often underestimated and could worsen over time, especially when exposed to rain, soil movement or vehicle impact. Both experts urged homeowners to view safety as an investment rather than a cost. “Put safety as your utmost priority and do things right from the start,” said Warid. “Seek advice from competent professionals, not from social media or Facebook, and always appoint contractors registered with CIDB.” He added that while professional design and supervision may seem costly upfront, cutting corners could prove far more expensive and tragic later. “Improper cost-saving today may lead to costly repairs tomorrow, or worse, loss of lives and property,” he said.

Child safety goes beyond supervision, says NGO PETALING JAYA: Following the tragic death of the toddler who was crushed by a fallen gate pillar, child rights group Protect and Save the Children (PSC) has reminded Malaysians that child safety “goes beyond supervision”. The group emphasised that it requires safe home design, regular maintenance and stronger community awareness. builders and local authorities, to ensure homes are designed and maintained as secure spaces for children to grow and play. PSC added that home safety education should be practical and community-based, rather than confined to parenting advice alone. “Safety messages could be shared not just through parenting platforms or clinics, but also via housing developers and local councils. “Visual checklists showing partnerships could help normalise conversations about safer home environments and encourage proactive safety checks. It said while there have been public campaigns on burns, falls, poisoning and drowning prevention, such efforts remain sporadic, urging for a coordinated national approach that treats home safety as part of child health and development. “Licensed childcare centres follow safety regulations under the Child Care Centre Act 1984.

The organisation called for a shift from reactive to preventive action. “We often only hear about safety measures after a tragedy occurs, rather than being reminded of preventive steps beforehand. “Safety planning should be part of everyday life through policies that prioritise child-safe home designs, safety checks in early childhood settings and greater public awareness on how prevention saves lives.” PSC said parents should view their homes from a child’s perspective to better identify potential hazards. “Look at your home from your child’s eye level. Children explore through movement and their

environments need to support that safely. Anything that could topple, swing or collapse should be checked and secured. “A few minutes spent identifying and fixing potential risks could make a real difference.” Police, meanwhile, have classified the case as sudden death. Seremban district police chief ACP Mohamad Hatta Che Din said the toddler had been playing with her sister when the incident occurred. “The pillar supporting the main gate collapsed on the victim,” he said, adding that a post-mortem found the cause of death to be head injuries from a heavy impact. – BY KIRTINEE RAMESH

“This tragedy highlights the need for greater attention to safety design and regular maintenance of household structures, especially when there are children around,” it said. It stressed that keeping children safe must be treated as a shared responsibility, involving families,

common hazards, such as unstable structures, unsecured furniture or unsafe balconies, could help families identify risks more easily.” The group also suggested that community campaigns and media

“Similar principles should apply at home. Multiple stakeholders must work together to ensure these measures are implemented as widely and consistently as possible,” it said.